Leadership in the Community and Impact on Older Adults
It is essential to highlight the role of community leaders and organizations in caring for older adult patients. One example is a transportation service that helps the elderly with mobility problems by providing them with transportation (Bond et al., 2017). Such an implementation is helpful for people who cannot access places, including hospitals, by offering them safe rides that take into consideration their possible medical needs. Another example is offering moral support via phone calls. Such a measure was used by medical students during the COVID-19 lockdown as a way of mitigating the consequences of social isolation (Office et al., 2020). Thus, senior citizens were able to feel a human connection without putting themselves at risk for the infection.
I was not aware of such communal support groups, but it is inevitable that they are necessary for both physical and moral support. Due to the importance of such organizations and volunteering proposals, I will make sure to find out more and become an active participant. Leadership in such community-based implementation is crucial, which is why I will try to find a way to create a group that will also offer such help in my own community.
Therapeutic Communication
Evidence shows that therapeutic communication is a vital part of any facility that provides services for older adults. Several concepts have been examined by researchers. One of them is communication using empathy as the main driving factor. Researchers found a correlation between empathic approaches and effective interactions between healthcare providers and senior patients with dementia (Brown et al., 2020). Another model that has been analyzed is the concept of sharing instead of teaching, which was found to be efficient (Pang & Ho, 2018). Furthermore, when nurses take the approach of being teachers who give instructions, older patients may be resistant. On the other hand, providing information during a two-way dialogue rather than from the position of a mentor is more beneficial.
During my nursing career, I have understood that most older adult patients are more communicative when I have a friendly and empathetic approach during our conversations. Rather than being just a nurse and providing direct instructions, people like when I have deeper conversations, listen to them and am careful when providing instructions. Since research shows my way of communication is evidence-based, I will continue forming more personal connections and use therapeutic communication to help patients become more relaxed and open.
Culturally-Competent Practices
Taking culture into consideration is a vital part of gerontological nursing. However, culture and safety have to go hand-in-hand for the patient’s sake. For example, seniors with diagnosed depression may not choose western medicine and, instead, pick acupuncture due to their individual beliefs. According to researchers, this can be an additional measure that may be effective for some individuals (Krta et al., 2019).
Thus, acupuncture can be a procedure used alongside therapeutic measures and medicine. On the other hand, some practices are not as safe. For example, polymedicine is not preferred among many older adults. Such patients may be apprehensive when it comes to taking multiple drugs at once, which can compromise safety (Weir et al., 2017). In these cases, healthcare providers have to discuss all the nuances with their patients, maybe cut down on medicine that is not essential, and build a plan based on the preferences of the individual.
I would achieve safety without denying someone of their cultural preferences. Moreover, my decision would be based on both patient’s values and standard safety practices. This topic has taught me to consider culturally-competent practices as an essential factor since it increases patient satisfaction. Due to the fact that patient-centered care is the key, it is vital to build a plan based on their personal overviews but without compromising safe practices known in medicine.